Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-02-03
SORTING COCOANUTS.
A SHIP LOAD OF $4,000 BROUGHT
FROM BARACOA.

Testing the Quality of Each Nut-UsIng
the Spoiled Ones as a Substitute for
Coal-Growth of the Cocoanut Trade.
Steam Tramps.
A little lead colored steamer, drawing no
more than nine feet of water when loaded
lay at a pier near Coenties slip. People
familiar with shipping would have said at a
glance that she was in the fruit or some such
trade to the Spanish main on account of her
size and looks. A gang Of men were lifting
bushel baskets full of cocoanuts over the low
hatch combing amidships and sliding them
along greasy planks toward another gang OF
men on the pier. These men lifted the bas-
kets up on to the low tables made Of planks
laid ON top Of cheap barrels. Three baskets
could be accommodated at one time on each
of the two tables. A man before each basket
picked the nuts up, one in each hand, and
knocked them together lightly, and then
either tossed them into big coarse bag
which man held open before the table or
tossed them to heap on the pier.
Those thrown to the pier were spoiled more
or less, some of them being 50 far decayed as
to break open. Those thrown into the bags
were sound The light tap told the quality Of
the nut to the inspector. Each bag held 100,
and soon as filed it was drawn to one side and
had its mouth sewed up by man who used
needle nine inches long and soft jute twine
for thread Other men gathered the spoiled
nuts into bags and loaded them into COW
cred wagon that had nothing painted on it to
indicate its ownership. A reporter who
watched the men found that from five to
seven nuts were rejected for every bag that
was filled One of the workers; although
kept busy either passing along the full bas-
kets or the empty ones back, found time to
talk He said:
'This vessel brought 75, 900 of the nuts from
Baracoa. We began on them at o'clock
this rraer-.ing and will have than all out by
8 O'Clock. We are paid by the hour at long
shoremen's rates. The boss took the con-
tract to discharge this cargo at sixty cents
per 1000
THE SPOILED ONES.
'sWhat IS done with the spoiled onesEn
''They are sold to that man indicating q
man by the unmarked wagon. He IS a
baker and confectioner. He says they make
better and cheaper fire than coal Rather
curious, though, that only bakers and con-
fectioners should have learned what good
fuel they are.n
The nuts were slowed loose in the hold Of
the vessel, with nothing to keep them from
shifting in case the steamer got heavy
lUch during gale on her way to port A
merchant who was familiar with the trade
said:
ave import from 100000 to Is, 600 goo
cocoanuts a year. On an average ~ per
cent of them spoiron the way. About one
half of them come from BaracOa. San Bias
is the next port of consequence. The little
steamers are driving the schooners out Of the
business, although the heat Of the engine
rooms is detrimental to the nuts. Six years
ago there was not a single steamer IN the
Baracoa trade. In 1881 there were Isl
schooner cargoes brought here from Baracoa-
In 1882 there were five steamer cargoes
brought-all American. The schooner car
goes rose to 221 in 1888, besides IA Yankee
steamer cargoes- The next year the British
tramp entered the trade and in two years cut
the schooner cargoes to As, while the number
of steam tramp cargoes rose to ". The Yam
kee steamers barely held their own with 10
cargoes, 1t is a case of the survival Of tho
fittest. The fact is, the steamers, although
flying the British flag, are in great part
owned by American capital Cocoanuts at
Baracoa cost two cents each, delivered on
board the steamer free. There is very little
freighting done, the steamers and cargoes be
longing usually to the firms engaged in the
trade New York Sun.